Five Years LaterThe taxi pulled up in front of the Smith Hotels and Towers and the driver switched off the engine and turned to the passenger seated behind him.She was staring out the window with an absent expression on her rather attractive face, not even realizing that they had arrived at their destination. "We're here love." The cabbie said gently. Evelyn started slightly, turning from the window and blinked at him in confusion for a few seconds before her hazel eyes cleared and she flushed. "Sorry, I was thinking about something..." she muttered, digging into her purse for the cab fare. She paid him, gathered the huge stack of shopping in both arms and got out, shutting the door with her foot then hurrying through the drizzling rain into the hotel lobby. She smiled at the doorman who hurried forward to take the bags from her. "Hello Jarvis." she said, glad to finally be rid of the bags. "Is my mother here yet?" "Yes Ms. Smith, she's waiting in the open cafe. Shall I take thes
"I think we should put off the wedding." Evelyn paused mid-stride and turned to stare at Stacy. "What?" Stacy shifted from her perch on the sofa and met her cousin's gaze. "I think we should put off the wedding." She repeated in hushed tones, green eyes filled with worry. "With your dad in the hospital and this thing with Lucas..." "No!" Evelyn's voice was firm as she crossed the room to the sofa where her cousin sat. She grasped Stacy's shoulders and gave her a firm shake, determination glinting in her eyes. "The wedding will go on as planned. If we put it off, you can be damned sure that bastard will think he has won and I'll be damned before I let that happen." That was the last thing Evelyn wanted. For Lucas Martin to think that he had succeeded in throwing the family into a panic. Her jaw set as she recalled the scene at his office yesterday and once more her blood boiled at the memory of that arrogant bastard throwing those words at her. She let go of Stacy and returned to
"Interesting." Lucas murmured, thoroughly enjoying her discomfort. He made a steeple with his fingertips and studied her, a wry smile playing across his mouth. The other board members watched them with varying mixtures of fascination and intrigue but no one tried to butt in. "Must have been a splendid lover to make you forget your responsibilities."She gaped at him in shock. "I beg your pardon?""Perhaps we should carry on with the meeting." A short balding man leaned forward and leveled a stern look at them both. "We are already behind schedule as it is."Lucas glanced at the man who had spoken. James Miller, manager of the Chicago branch of the hotel, one of the the few people who had refused to sell out his shares. The man stared back at Lucas defiantly, as if daring him to say otherwise. Lucas decided to hold his peace...for now."Very well." He said with a shrug, flipping open his laptop."Excuse me." Evelyn's voice cut in. "We are not starting until Mr. Martin leaves." She lift
The inside of the limo was silent except for the sound of the traffic filtering through the windows. Lucas studied the woman sitting across from him staring through the tinted window. He noted the tense shoulders and the worry in those green eyes, the same ones that had once enchanted him beyond reasonable thought. That is, until she had shown herself for the shallow woman she really was by breaking their relationship simply on the whims of a particularly distasteful spoiled young woman.Stacy's sleek bob framed a face that hadn't changed much in the past five years, except for a certain self assured maturity in her features. Lucas allowed his gaze to travel down the flattering blouse contrasting sharply with the gleaming leather seat of the limo, the gentle swell of her breasts underneath the fabric and down to her hands resting primly on her lap. His eyes rested on the diamond engagement ring- simple yet undoubtedly worth a small fortune- if his intel on the fiance was correct. Hardi
"So you're going on a date with a guy you met less than three hours ago?"Evelyn peeked out the huge walk in closet where she was busy hunting for her shoes and peered at Cora who was currently perched cross legged on her bed surrounded by dozens of outfits discarded for being inappropriate. She had not packed for pleasure on this trip, most of her clothes were either too business like or way too casual for a dinner date and she'd finally had to call the hotel boutique and asked for several dresses to be sent up. Then she'd called for back up in the form of her good friend Cora Robinson to help in choosing something appropriate. Much as she wanted to impress Dr Wang, Evelyn was didn't want to come across as too eager and thus she needed to find that perfect outfit that screamed chic but not trashy, available but not desperate."Is something wrong with that?" She asked, adjusting the towel wrapped turban style around her head. "It's just dinner- not like I'm gearing up for a night of
Amazement and dismay swelled within Evelyn as she stared at the last man on earth she wished to encounter. Lucas Martin sat there in all his evil glory, in the very restaurant she was in, looking up at her with that same mocking smile she had come to loathe. Oh dear god, why are you tormenting me this way? She groaned inwardly, every smidgeon of excitement for the evening ahead draining away from her."Evelyn?" Logan's worried voice broke into her thoughts. She tore her eyes away from Lucas and looked at him, seeing the worried frown on his face. "Are you OK. What's wrong?"Evelyn looked from Logan and back to Lucas. Dismay melted to be replaced by anger. Anger at Lucas for ruining a perfectly good evening for her. How the hell had he even known she would be here? Was this part of his master plan to ensure her complete and utter humiliation? She could just murder the man for being so...annoying."I'm fine." She forced the words out through clenched teeth, even as she shot murderous gl
Evelyn stared at her untouched plate, her mind bristling with the memory of the scene in the hallway. Lucas's scent- a warm earthy fragrance still permeated her nostrils, making every breath impossible to take without inhaling the very essence of him that brought to mind hot steamy nights and writhing bodies atop silk sheets, an unwanted thought that nevertheless caused waves of heat to travel down to parts she did not wish to think about.She frowned at the thought and maliciously stabbed at a piece of food with her fork, wishing it was Lucas Martin's head. He was the enemy and she was not supposed to be having lustful thoughts for a man who had done nothing but make her life miserable and had even sworn to bring about her complete and utter humiliation. Though, that would never happen. He would never succeed, not if she had anything to do with it.Evelyn lifted her eyes and hazarded a glance at the object of her thoughts. Lucas seemed unaffected by their earlier encounter- if anythi
Evelyn stared at her untouched plate, her mind bristling with the memory of the scene in the hallway. Lucas's scent- a warm earthy fragrance still permeated her nostrils, making every breath impossible to take without inhaling the very essence of him that brought to mind hot steamy nights and writhing bodies atop silk sheets, an unwanted thought that nevertheless caused waves of heat to travel down to parts she did not wish to think about.She frowned at the thought and maliciously stabbed at a piece of food with her fork, wishing it was Lucas Martin's head. He was the enemy and she was not supposed to be having lustful thoughts for a man who had done nothing but make her life miserable and had even sworn to bring about her complete and utter humiliation. Though, that would never happen. He would never succeed, not if she had anything to do with it.Evelyn lifted her eyes and hazarded a glance at the object of her thoughts. Lucas seemed unaffected by their earlier encounter- if anythi
Amazement and dismay swelled within Evelyn as she stared at the last man on earth she wished to encounter. Lucas Martin sat there in all his evil glory, in the very restaurant she was in, looking up at her with that same mocking smile she had come to loathe. Oh dear god, why are you tormenting me this way? She groaned inwardly, every smidgeon of excitement for the evening ahead draining away from her."Evelyn?" Logan's worried voice broke into her thoughts. She tore her eyes away from Lucas and looked at him, seeing the worried frown on his face. "Are you OK. What's wrong?"Evelyn looked from Logan and back to Lucas. Dismay melted to be replaced by anger. Anger at Lucas for ruining a perfectly good evening for her. How the hell had he even known she would be here? Was this part of his master plan to ensure her complete and utter humiliation? She could just murder the man for being so...annoying."I'm fine." She forced the words out through clenched teeth, even as she shot murderous gl
"So you're going on a date with a guy you met less than three hours ago?"Evelyn peeked out the huge walk in closet where she was busy hunting for her shoes and peered at Cora who was currently perched cross legged on her bed surrounded by dozens of outfits discarded for being inappropriate. She had not packed for pleasure on this trip, most of her clothes were either too business like or way too casual for a dinner date and she'd finally had to call the hotel boutique and asked for several dresses to be sent up. Then she'd called for back up in the form of her good friend Cora Robinson to help in choosing something appropriate. Much as she wanted to impress Dr Wang, Evelyn was didn't want to come across as too eager and thus she needed to find that perfect outfit that screamed chic but not trashy, available but not desperate."Is something wrong with that?" She asked, adjusting the towel wrapped turban style around her head. "It's just dinner- not like I'm gearing up for a night of
The inside of the limo was silent except for the sound of the traffic filtering through the windows. Lucas studied the woman sitting across from him staring through the tinted window. He noted the tense shoulders and the worry in those green eyes, the same ones that had once enchanted him beyond reasonable thought. That is, until she had shown herself for the shallow woman she really was by breaking their relationship simply on the whims of a particularly distasteful spoiled young woman.Stacy's sleek bob framed a face that hadn't changed much in the past five years, except for a certain self assured maturity in her features. Lucas allowed his gaze to travel down the flattering blouse contrasting sharply with the gleaming leather seat of the limo, the gentle swell of her breasts underneath the fabric and down to her hands resting primly on her lap. His eyes rested on the diamond engagement ring- simple yet undoubtedly worth a small fortune- if his intel on the fiance was correct. Hardi
"Interesting." Lucas murmured, thoroughly enjoying her discomfort. He made a steeple with his fingertips and studied her, a wry smile playing across his mouth. The other board members watched them with varying mixtures of fascination and intrigue but no one tried to butt in. "Must have been a splendid lover to make you forget your responsibilities."She gaped at him in shock. "I beg your pardon?""Perhaps we should carry on with the meeting." A short balding man leaned forward and leveled a stern look at them both. "We are already behind schedule as it is."Lucas glanced at the man who had spoken. James Miller, manager of the Chicago branch of the hotel, one of the the few people who had refused to sell out his shares. The man stared back at Lucas defiantly, as if daring him to say otherwise. Lucas decided to hold his peace...for now."Very well." He said with a shrug, flipping open his laptop."Excuse me." Evelyn's voice cut in. "We are not starting until Mr. Martin leaves." She lift
"I think we should put off the wedding." Evelyn paused mid-stride and turned to stare at Stacy. "What?" Stacy shifted from her perch on the sofa and met her cousin's gaze. "I think we should put off the wedding." She repeated in hushed tones, green eyes filled with worry. "With your dad in the hospital and this thing with Lucas..." "No!" Evelyn's voice was firm as she crossed the room to the sofa where her cousin sat. She grasped Stacy's shoulders and gave her a firm shake, determination glinting in her eyes. "The wedding will go on as planned. If we put it off, you can be damned sure that bastard will think he has won and I'll be damned before I let that happen." That was the last thing Evelyn wanted. For Lucas Martin to think that he had succeeded in throwing the family into a panic. Her jaw set as she recalled the scene at his office yesterday and once more her blood boiled at the memory of that arrogant bastard throwing those words at her. She let go of Stacy and returned to
Five Years LaterThe taxi pulled up in front of the Smith Hotels and Towers and the driver switched off the engine and turned to the passenger seated behind him.She was staring out the window with an absent expression on her rather attractive face, not even realizing that they had arrived at their destination. "We're here love." The cabbie said gently. Evelyn started slightly, turning from the window and blinked at him in confusion for a few seconds before her hazel eyes cleared and she flushed. "Sorry, I was thinking about something..." she muttered, digging into her purse for the cab fare. She paid him, gathered the huge stack of shopping in both arms and got out, shutting the door with her foot then hurrying through the drizzling rain into the hotel lobby. She smiled at the doorman who hurried forward to take the bags from her. "Hello Jarvis." she said, glad to finally be rid of the bags. "Is my mother here yet?" "Yes Ms. Smith, she's waiting in the open cafe. Shall I take thes
Lucas leaned back against his high-backed swivel seat and made a steeple with the tips of his fingers as he listened to the man seated across from him. To a stranger, it would seem as though his mind was a million miles away, but in truth, every nerve of him was alert, taking in and processing information swiftly. Occasionally, he would swing towards the wall of windows behind him, staring out without really seeing the magnificent view of the dusky sky.He rubbed at his jaw, grimacing as his fingers encountered the rough stubble of less than a day's growth of beard. No doubt, if he looked in a mirror, he would see the dark shadows marring his chin...he would need to shave tonight before picking Stacy up for their dinner date or she would most likely harp on about how much he resembled a Neanderthal. The thought of Stacy made him smile slightly as he imagined how those lovely green eyes of hers would light up as she teased him about his appearance, her fair hair would no doubt be expert